COUNCILLORS are concerned that Lyme Regis may come to a standstill when thousands of visitors pour in for the Olympic torch relay.

The roadshow is set to roll into Lyme Regis on Thursday, July 12, but town council management committee members want to make sure the town will be able to cope.

Coun Chris Clipson has warned that up to three times as many visitors as for the annual Red Arrows display could descend upon Lyme Regis.

Ideas included a park and ride service and road closures to cope with the influx.

He added: “We should at least try to open as many fields on the edge of town as possible. If we don’t do something the town could be blocked by lunchtime.

“There could be a log jam and they could have trouble getting the Olympic torch vehicles through.”

A host of events are being organised to celebrate the torch’s arrival.

Torch bearers will carry the Olympic flame in 300m sections through Lyme Regis at 3.35pm. Schools are becoming involved and there are plans for a procession from Cobb Gate to the Cobb with sporting organisations taking part.

The relay will head from Dorchester to Bridport at 2.46pm before it goes to Chideock at 3.13pm, Lyme Regis at 3.35pm and Burton Bradstock at 4.52pm and then Weymouth and Portland.

Coun Anita Williams said visitors could walk in from parking sites in fields on the edge of town but Coun Terry O’Grady had concerns about people walking around the hills and narrow streets from the edge of town.

Coun Williams added: “The last thing we want is people driving around Lyme at 2pm looking for somewhere to park.”

Coun O’Grady and Coun Owen Lovell were in favour of buses bringing people into town.

Coun Williams said that unless there were road closures just one bus would get in and would not be able to get back out again.

Coun Sally Holman, who is on the local torch relay committee, said that the potential number of people coming from far afield was alarming but that meetings were ongoing and they were well on track with preparations.

She added: “I think we have gained extra police from our pointing out that our experience of the Red Arrows.”

She said that there were likely to be road closures but they would be the responsibility of the Met, which is accompanying the torch.

Coun Holman said that an information leaflet was due to go out to houses in Lyme nearer the time – including maps and viewing points.